One of three women were sexually assaulted in Logan Square is speaking out in hopes that sharing her story will help protect others.
“I’m just trying to make sure that he gets caught,” the woman, 21, told the Sun-Times on Tuesday. “I have a lot of friends who are in Logan Square too. I’m making sure all my girls stay safe … that’s all I want.”
The woman, who asked not to be named out of concern for her safety, was walking home from a nearby bar early Sunday and did not notice anything out of the ordinary; “I don’t remember anyone following me.”
She entered the door of her building in the 2600 block of North Troy Street about 3:40 a.m. and was standing near the entrance to her unit when someone walked in behind her. At first, she thought it was a friend of her upstairs neighbor, but then the man pulled out a small knife.
She thought she was being robbed and tried to hand over her purse, but the man instead told her to take off her jacket and proceeded to assault her.
“The knife is on my neck the whole time,” she told the Sun-Times. “Every time I tried to get louder, he would press it closer.”
When he eventually left, he told the woman; “I’m across the street, so don’t call the cops.”
He fled on foot, but she didn’t see which way he went.
The woman’s roommate awoke to banging on their apartment door.
“I ran to the door, and that’s when I found her lying down in our foyer,” the roommate told the Sun-Times. “She said, ‘Someone raped me. Don’t call the cops. He said he’s across the street.’ And I pulled her in, and I locked the doors. I put down all of our window coverings and everything, and then I call the police right away because I just let my roommate know — that is a scare tactic, he would never tell you he’s gonna stay across the street if he was actually across the street.”
Days after the traumatic experience, the woman told the Sun-Times she is doing “good,” and focusing her energy on getting the word out about the attack.
Chicago police say the same man is responsible for at least two other sexual assaults reported in the neighborhood.
The first occurred Jan. 14 at 9:30 a.m. on a sidewalk in the 3400 block of West Armitage Avenue. The second attack was on Jan. 18 in the 2800 block of West Bloomingdale Avenue at 3:10 a.m.
In the West Bloomingdale Avenue case, the man was also armed with a knife, police say.
Daniel Tompkins, a friend of the second victim, reported the attack to police.
Tompkins works at a “local establishment” and said a critical part of his job is to “make sure everyone gets home safe at night.’”
The friend was supposed to text Tompkins once she was safe in her home that night. But when a text did not come, Tompkins became concerned and started calling.
She didn’t share much over the phone, but he knew she was in a “bad spot.” He told her, “Drop a pin. I’m coming right now.” When he arrived he found his friend hiding behind a dumpster.
“It was awful,” he told the Sun-Times. “I want everybody in my community to be safe. … They’re going to get this guy.”
Police have described the man as unshaven, with short black hair, brown eyes and between the ages of 29 and 35. He stands between 5 foot 6 and 5 foot 10.
The woman assaulted on Troy Street told police he was wearing some sort of black hat or hoodie and a black surgical mask.
And the attacks have also left area neighbors on edge.
Mason Green, 59, moved into the neighborhood about three months ago. Already a watchful father, news of the recent attacks have caused him to be even more alert for the safety of his daughter, who is a senior in high school.
“I watch her leave in the mornings to drive to school, and I let her park in the garage in my space when she comes over,” Green said. “Now I’m going to be extra vigilant.”
Demmi Gonzalez, 26, has lived in the area for two years. Threats have always been at the back of her mind, she says, because she commutes via the CTA and works as a bartender, meaning she sometimes walks home late at night.
“It’s definitely something that I’ve always considered in my travels around the city, so it’s made me more aware of my surroundings and making sure I have some form of weapon on me to make sure I’m taking care of myself,” she said, adding that she carries pepper spray.
“I always check behind me when I’m walking down the street,” Gonzalez said. “I try to stay on major streets, even if it makes my commute a little longer. Or maybe just take an Uber to avoid any potential threats.”
Green said he’d like authorities to release an image of the suspect so the neighborhood can know who to look out for, and says he’d appreciate increased police presence in the area.
“It’s scary,” he said.
Both Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) and Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) said they have been in contact with police in the 14th District.
“Area Five Detectives are working diligently to investigate these assaults, and they and the 14th District have devoted resources to increase patrols in the area and continue the investigation,” Ramirez-Rosa said in a statement.
Anyone with information on the cases is asked to call (312) 746-6554 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com.